21st March 2014 This week there were five court cases listed that arose from last year’s anti-fracking protests outside Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site at Balcombe. Here’s a summary of what happened with links to court reports.
21st March 2014 A veteran environmental campaigner who walked with his aunt’s springer spaniel in front of a lorry delivering to Cuadrilla’s Balcombe drilling site was found guilty of obstruction this morning – even though the policeman who arrested him said the case should be dropped.
March 21st 2014 Balcombe Parish Council has submitted a formal objection to Cuadrilla’s planning application to flow test its exploration oil well. This was agreed unanimously at an extra-ordinary meeting on March 8th. The final document is now on the council’s website. Click here to view.
March 20th 2014 Simon Welsh, the poet arrested for singing outside the gate of Cuadrilla’s oil exploration site in Balcombe, explained in verse this afternoon why he thought he had done nothing wrong. Mr Welsh, 34, of High Street, Balcombe, went into the witness box at Brighton Magistrates […]
The judge at the trial of Simon Welsh, the poet arrested while singing at the Balcombe anti-fracking protests, has ruled there is a case to answer and the hearing should continue. Mr Welsh, 34, of High Street, Balcombe, denies he failed to comply with a condition on protesting […]
20th March 2014 A judge is expected to hear legal arguments this morning about the disclosure of information in the anti-fracking protest case involving the MP Caroline Lucas and four other campaigners. The full case, which is due start on Monday (24th March), was brought under Section 14 […]
19th March 2014 The judge at the trial of Simon Welsh, the Balcombe poet arrested at an anti-fracking demonstration while singing a protest song, has retired to consider whether to dismiss the case halfway through. Defence barrister, Tom Wainwright argued there was no case to answer because the […]
19th March 2014 Brighton Magistrates Court heard this morning how poet Simon Welsh was arrested at the Balcombe anti-fracking demonstrations, while leading a group of singers in the Balcombe anthem. This was a protest song written by Mr Welsh and sung to the tune of Jerusalem. Mr Walsh, 34, […]
18th March 2014 The former chief constable of Sussex explained this afternoon that he imposed restrictions on anti-fracking protesters at Balcombe because he believed the demonstrations would cause serious disruption to the life of the local community. Martin Richards, who retired from the police a week ago, was […]
18th March 2014 The former Chief Constable of Sussex went into the witness box this morning to defend a notice he signed that required people at the Balcombe anti-fracking demonstrations to use a designated protest area. Martin Richards, who retired a week ago from Sussex Police, was giving […]
DRILL OR DROP? 